Pipe plug



July 20,1943.` B, SVIRSKY 2,324,545v

P IPE PLUG Filed May 5, 1941 f/vA/frr wps/rg A 1N VENTOR.

forate means acting as a safety closure, during Patented July 20, 1943V 2,324,545 PiPE PLUG Bennett Svirsky, Los Angeles, Calif, Application May 5, 1941, serial No. 391,891

4 claims. (o1. 72-16) This invention relates to pipe plugs of the elas-` tic or expansible type. I

In the plumbing field, having particular refer-,

ence to the operation of installing floorjdrains and testing plumbing to detectleaks,` if any, the usual procedure is for the plumber to rough in the plumbing preparatory to testing and then to call in the tile mechanic to lay the cement floor' and tile. In roughing `in the plumbing, vthe plumber adds a cap to the drain pipe,`said cap being removed after the tile mechanic has applied the tar paper :or lead pan on the sub iioor preparatory to installing the cement base for the tile.

In tarring the'paper tothe drain pipe, the hot tar is slushed onto the pipe threads adjacent` the cap and also onto the cap, so that when the plumber is recalled after making his test to detect leaks, to substitute the floor drain for the cap, the cap is so firmly affixed to the drainlpipe that in an eiort to unscrew it therefrom it not infrequently occurs that the pipe is unscrewed from the trap instead of the cap being unscrewed from the pipe. During this operation the paper and tar waterproof condition around the drain is often destroyed, Yand if only a crack should oc-., cur which would not be visible on inspection, it would result in moisture seeping through the cement around the drain, thereby producing a destructive rot in the adjoining wood floor. i

Furthermore, cement, plaster, and foreign matter nds its way into the trap through the strainer plate even though' certain precautions guarding-thereagainst may have been' taken,l

the drain is wardly inclined relation to the drainage recess `I4 i downwardly from which drainage-is ,effected` through the pipe section I5.` A iiuid-tight joint l tending to stop up the trap when eventually put into use.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved elastic plug insertable into ,the

mouth of an open pipe or hole which will facilitate"` the operations of installing plumbing, tile, and cement iloor surroundingplumbing fixtures such as are employed in shower drains and the like, without unnecessary trips being made on `the part of the plumber in cooperation with workmen do ingother `jobs in the building, thus obviating the difficulties set forth in the above description.` l Another object is to provide a pipe plug radially andcircumferentially expansible outwardly bytractionapplied to a frusto-conical member 1 movable longitudinally of the plug. Y

Another object is to provide a'pipe plug for door within the mouth portion drain recesses, having a sealing function when f installed in apipe, in combination with imperthe interim each plug may be in use.l i W1: f r

Another object is to-provide an improved plug,`

in combination with a floor drainwhich has an element manually movable axiallytherein `in reverse directions to cause a radially outward and inward yexpansionon `contraction ofj the plugr during its axial movement therewithin. l With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details "of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment `oi? the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of that `which is claimed without departing from the spirit` of the inven` tion.

Thelfollowing is a brief description of the Iigures of the drawing: 3 I

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the device installed in the operative position `in a conventional floor drain, a portion of the imperforatecover be-` ing broken away in order to disclose underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line2-2 of Fig. 1. In said view is shown a portion ofia shower floor, drain, and trap with which the invention isrelated. l fl l l a Fig. 3 is a plan View` of the detached strainer plate, and, y

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail tothe drawing, inFig. 2

is shown in section a oorstructure including the subfloor I0 overlaid by layers of tar paper II above which is the cement body portionY I2 of the oor; The upper surface of the floor. is covered lby tileI 3'which is shown in a slightly downis made between the pipe section I5 and the tar paper `I I by upwardly directing the latter at I Ia and coating this part lofv the paper with liquid"` tar.` Saiddrainagerecess I4 is lined by a basin I I structure I1 furnished `with a downwardly dii rected,` annular, `bottom `flange I8 which'is internally screwthreaded toscrew onto the aforesaid nipple or pipe section I5, the lowerendV of,V l `which is shown ,screwed` into the upper partrIS Y Owing tothe fact thattheistrainer plate 23 is furnished with apertured`attaching lugs 23a of a countersunk, downwardly" projecting character the lugs `2Iwwithinthe drainage recess I4 are ,A

placed low enough to leave considerable clearance above them, thus providing sufficient room for the heads of the screws 22 when said screws are inserted to stop up the bores which they occupy.

By the invention there is provided the thick walled, expansible tubular member 25 desirably made of rubber or rubber-like material, the normal external diameter of which is slightly less than the internal diameter of the drainage pipe section I5. Said tubular member, shown in its operative position, is expanded by means of a rigid frusto-conical follower plug 2B having in xed relation to it a screwthreaded stem 2 which projects axially from its smaller end. Said stem projects upwardly beyond the top of the tube 25 and has a nut 28 screwed onto its projecting portion. Said nut engages the upper face o-f a buffer washer 29 seated upon the upper end of said tube 25. Said washer, by preference and as shown, has a downwardly directed central annular flange 3| which fits snugly within the upper end of the tube 25.

The upper end of the stem 2'I is furnished with diametrically opposite seats which receive the inwardly directed end portions 32 of the resilient wire bail 33 which serves as a lhandle for said stemv together with the assembly of parts of which it forms an element.

In the upper end of said stem 2'I is an axial, screwthreaded bore into which screws a screw 35 whereby a protecting cover plate 36 is ternporarily attached, said plate being imperforate except for the hole centrally provided therein to receive said screw.

Ordinarily, the only portion of the floor proper which is in place when the device is installed is the sub floor I0, the drainage pipe section I5, together with the basin structure I1 mounted thereon, being supported by the conventional sewer trap I9, the upper portion of which is shown in Fig. 2.

Preparatory to installing the expansible portion of the device in its operative portion, the

conventional strainer plate will be detached and the expansible cylindrical member 25 in a normally unexpanded condition will be inserted downwardly through the drainage recess I4 into the drainage pipe section I to approximately the position shown in Fig. 2. The parts which cooperate with said member 25, namely the frusto-conical follower plug 26, together with its threaded stem, the nut 28, and the buffer washer v29, will accompany said member 25 when the latter is put into place as stated, but only a small part of the upper end of the frusto-conical member 2G will be contained within the lower end of the'tubular member 25. At this time said member 25 must be maintained in a non-expanded condition. A suitable wrench may .now be applied to the nut 28, and said nut thereby rotated in a direction to force a greater amount of the force to conical member 26 upwardly into the tubular member 25 until said member is expanded with suicient tightness against the interior surface of the drainage pipe I5.

After the plug assembly has expanded in its" operative position as above stated, the safety cover plate 36 is attached to the stem 2'I by means of the screw 35, thus completely protecting the drainage recess I4 from the entrance of foreign matter. It will be understood that before said cover plate is attached, the screws 22 willI be screwed downwardly into their sockets a suicient distance to unobstruct attachment of the plate 35, these screws serving to prevent the cement I2, when put in place, from entering and clogging up the screw holes.

A At any time after the expansible plug structure has been installed in the manner stated, the plumbing system of which the trap I9 forms a part, may have water introduced into it under pressure to make the leak detecting test required. The tar paper II with its uptulned part I Ia adhered in a leak-proof manner to the pipe section I5 may next be applied preparatory to laying the cement body 28 and the tile floor I3 carried thereof.

After the plumber returns to install the fmished plumbing, he will -remove the plug assembly and safety plate 36 and substitute for the latter the strainer plate 23.

Although the device has been illustrated and described associated with a floor and plumbing fixture, yet it is to be understood that its use is by no means restricted to such a situation, but it may be installed within a great variety of tubular structures without departing from the spirit of the claimed invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In an expansible plug structure, a diametrically expansible tubular member of rubber like compressible material insertible through the open top of, and fitted within the upper part of a ydrain pipe section subjacent a floor drain recess,

a rigid frusto-conical follower plugvhaving its smaller end portion fitted within the lower end portion of said tubular member, a screwthreaded stem projecting from said smaller end of said follower plug in a fixed, axial relation thereto, said projecting part of said stem being provided with diametrically opposite inwardly directed slots, a buffer washer seated upon the end of said tubular member which is opposite to said follower plug, a nut abutting against the outer face of said washer and having a screwthreaded relation to said stem for applying traction thereto thereby to cause said follower plug to diametrically expand said tubular member, and a resilient bail-like wire handle provided with'inwardly directed end portions occupying said slots.

2.7The subject matter of claim 'l and, said stem having a screwthreaded bore in its upper end, a temporary cover plate for said recess having a central hole through it, and an attaching screw for said cover plate extending through said hole and screwable into said bore, said cover plate being imperforate except for said central bore.

3. In combination, a floor structure having a drainage outlet construction which includes a floor drain recess 'and a drain pipe 'section 'leading from said recess downwardly through the floor, a diametrically expansible tubular Amember inserta-ble through the open top of, and fitted within the upper part of said pipe section, a rigid frusto-conical follower plug having its smaller end portion fitted within the lower end portion of said tubular member, a screwthreaded stem projecting from said smaller end of said follower plug in a fixed axial relation thereto, a 'buffer washer seated upon the upper end of said tubular member, a nut abutting against the u'pper'face of said washer and vhaving a screwthreaded relation Yto said stem for applying traction thereto thereby to cause said follower plug to expand said tubular member, said stem Vhavinga screwthreaded bore in'its upper end, a temporary cover plate for said recess .having a central hole through it, and an attaching :screw 'for said cover plate extending through said hole and screwed into said bore, said cover plate being imperforate y except for saidcentral bore.

4. In combination, a oor structure having a drainage outlet construction which includes a` oor drain recess and a drain pipeY section leading from said recess downwardly through the floor, a diametrically expansible tubular member insertable through the open top of said pipe section and tted within the upper `part thereof, a 1o rigid frusto-conical follower plug having its smaller end portion tted within the lower end portion of said tubular member, a screwthreaded stem projecting from said smaller end of said follower plug in a xed axial relation thereto, said projecting part of said stem being provided with diametrically opposite inwardly directed slots, a resilient bail-like wire handle provided with inwardly directed end portionsoccupying said slots, a buier washer seated upon the upper end of said tubular member, a nut abutting against the upper face of said washer and having a screwthreaded relation to said stem for applying traction thereto thereby to cause said follower plug to expand said tubular member, said stem having a screwthreaded bore in its upper end, a temporary cover plate for said recess having a central hole through it, and an attaching screw for said cover plate extending throughsaid hole and screwed into said bore, said cover plate being 15 imperforate except for said central bore.

BENNETT SVRSKY. 

